Joining the Battle
by shiorioji
Summary: Leif is a Nord boy who lives in Solitude during the Stormcloak rebellion. Him and his adopted brother, Kesh, have just turned sixteen. Tulius, looking for new fighters, asks Leif to join the Legion. At first, he has no interest of joining... Discontinued.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Two boys ran across the large town of Solitude, rushing past several shops and people, including guards. One was a skinny Khajiit male with grey, almost white fur, green slanted eyes and a broad grin on his face. The other was a Nord boy, about the same height with short black hair and blue eyes. He too was smiling. Both had just turned sixteen that day. The two boys shared the same parents but were not related. According to their father (who was an Argonian), they were both adopted as babies when their mother (who was a Dark Elf) found them outside Solitude, alone and crying. Since their real birthdays were unknown, they had just decided to have them be on the same day.

"Come on, Leif. Hurry up! Father will not wait much longer!" called the Khajiit, grinning. Leif struggled to keep up.

"What do you expect, Kesh? I'm a Nord, not a Khajiit" he called back. Kesh merely sped up, causing Leif to curse under his breath and attempt to match his speed, which he failed miserably. Minutes later, they arrived outside a large, three story house. Leif was breathing heavily but Kesh seemed perfectly fine. The Nord boy was in great shape from being trained in swordsmanship for ten years but running for that long would tire out most people…unless they were Khajiit. They walked inside the house.

"Father? Where are you?" called Leif. An Argonian man walked out from one of the many rooms and smiled.

"Oh, so you two are finally here. Good, I have a message for you, Leif. Here, I'll tell you in private. Kesh, wait for a moment, alright?" he said, leading the Nord into the room he was just in and showed him a letter. It read "_Varna, I would like to make a request. It has come to my attention that you have a son named Leif who has just turned sixteen today. As you know, the Imperial Legion still needs able fighters. Send him to Castle Dour. I will appraise him and if he is worthy, he will be able to fight alongside me and my army, if he so wishes. If he does not wish to, he will be sent home straight away with no further contact between us and no trouble. Sincerely, General Tulius_"

Leif looked up from the letter. He wasn't sure what to say to this…his father had said to come home straight away (through a courier, of course. They knew it was important because he only did such things when he needed them home for something) but he had not expected a letter from the General of all people.

"I understand if you do not want to go" said Varna, looking somewhat concerned. Leif shook his head.

"No…I don't want to…but the least I can do is go over there and tell him so myself. What about Kesh? Is he coming too?" he asked. Varna shook his head.

"No. He was not asked for in the letter, was he? Only you" he responded. Leif sat down on the bed in the corner of the room. He had never gone anywhere or done anything without Kesh…even though they were not related, they were as close as brothers and sometimes he felt they were even closer. When one boy trained, the other was right there with him. When one was sick, the other was beside them until they got better or were forced to leave. Nothing had managed to separate them.

"…well…I'm not joining so I suppose it doesn't matter" he said slowly, standing up. He grabbed his Ebony Sword, a gift from his father, and walked back to Kesh, who was sitting down in a chair eating a sweetroll. He put it down as he approached and stood up.

"So? What did father want?" he asked. Leif showed him the letter. He read over it quickly and looked upset.

"You're not going to go, are you?" he asked. Leif shook his head.

"No. I don't belong in an army...besides, you wouldn't be there and I don't want to do anything without you" he said. Kesh smiled and hugged him.

"Thanks...you should go and tell him though...best not to keep the General waiting" he said. Leif nodded and left the house, heading for Castle Dour. He had passed by it many times but never had a reason to go in...until now that is.

He went in and walked through the hall into the war room, where Tulius was arguing with a woman about war tactics or some such thing.

"...there, we would surely lose General" said the woman.

"No, we would not. Look, if we-oh. Hello. How can I help you?" said Tulius, noticing the boy.

"Um...hello, sir. My name is Leif. You sent for me by letter?"

It took him a few seconds to remember. "Ah, yes...I remember now. So, before we go any further, I would like to test you. Legate, would you like to do the honors?" he asked, turning to the woman. She shook her head.

"I am sorry General but I do not wish to fight a child" she said. Tulius turned to me again and smiled.

"Well, you're in luck, boy. You'll be tested by me then. Now then...let's get started" he said, drawing his sword and lunging at me. Leif dodged by mere inches and drew his own sword. He blocked the man's swings but was unable to attack himself. He drove Leif into the hall, stabbing and lunging with incredible speed for a man as old as himself. He was just barely able to block him.

He tripped over something on the floor and fell backwards. Seizing his chance, Tulius tried to stab him through the heart.

"_He's trying to kill me!_" he thought frantically as he rolled over to avoid the sword. Leif noticed that he left his legs relatively unguarded. He kicked out and swept the general's legs out from under him, causing him to fall to the ground as well. Leif quickly got up and pointed his sword at Tulius's neck, breathing heavily.

"Well? Are we done now?" he panted. Tulius laughed and pushed the sword away, getting up.

"Not bad, boy. I hope you realize I wasn't trying though. Had I wanted to kill you, I would have done so in a few seconds. However, I can tell you have potential and even now, you have great skill. It would be an honor to have you in the Imperial Legion" he said, smiling.

"I am very sorry...but I have no interest in this war, so I do not wish to fight in it. I am honored that you would like me to join but I must refuse. If you ever need me for something else though, you can call upon my any time, sir" said Leif, sheathing his sword and beginning to walk out of the room. However, before he could, a man came bursting through the door and with him, a strong smell of smoke.

"What is the matter? Why do I smell smoke?" asked Tulius, concerned.

"F-f-fire..." he stuttered, pointing towards the door. "A house is on fire...his house" he then pointed at Leif.


	2. Chapter 2

Without a second thought, I ran past the man and out the door, ignoring Tulius's shouts for me to stop. There was smoke coming from a building in the distance. I ran to it as fast as I possibly could, seemingly matching Kesh's speed for the first time. Nearly the whole town was in front of the house, either throwing water onto it or using Frost Magic. I looked around but was not able to see Mother, Father or Kesh.

"Oh no...please...please don't be still in there..." I cried to myself quietly. I ran inside the burning house, paying no attention to the many people who tried to stop me. There was smoke everywhere, so much that I could barely see. I ran through the house calling their names.

"_Mother! Father! Kesh!_ Where are you?" I called but no answer from any of them. I continued this throughout the house, or rather, wherever I could get into that was not blocked by fire. This was one of the times that I regretted how I never tried to learn magic. However, no matter where I went, there was no answer.

"Does that mean...they got out...?" I said, smiling. That is the only explanation. If they weren't here, how could they answer me? I turned around to leave but the smoke was starting to get to me. I felt light headed and could not think. Everything became a blur. Streaks of red, orange and black danced across my eyes as I fell to the floor and passed out.

I awoke hours later. I vaguely heard somebody say "Look, he's waking up. I'll get the General" as I slowly opened my eyes but I couldn't tell who. I sat up and shook my head a bit. I was back outside. The heat and smoke were gone, but the smell lingered. I turned around. The only thing left of my house was a pile of hot ash and a few pieces of burnt wood here and there. Most of the town was gone now but a few people remained, looking at the house with an expression of grief. I stood up and walked over to the nearest person, a tall Nord man with a greatsword on his back.

"Where are my parents and Kesh?" I asked him. He turned to me.

"...I am sorry, lad..." he says, obviously meaning it. "They were still in the house when it caught fire...nobody saw them escape"

"No, that can't be true! When I called for them inside the house, nobody answered! They would have heard me!" I protested. I couldn't believe he'd lie to me...especially about something like that. He shook his head.

"No. They wouldn't have if they were already dead. I am sorry" he said sadly. He walked away, leaving me to stand there in shock. No...they...they couldn't be dead...especially Kesh...he has the best reflexes and agility of anyone I've ever seen...there was no way he could die...but there was also no way he could leave without being seen. I began to cry. In about twenty minutes, I had lost my father, mother and my best friend...

"It's alright...no need to cry" said a gentle voice from behind me. General Tulius walked in front of me and crouched down a bit to match my height. "They wouldn't want you to be sad"

I nodded, wiping the tears from my eyes. "...yeah..." I said quietly.

He sighed. "I suppose you have a right to know how it started...it was the Stormcloaks" he said grimly. Before I could say anything, he held up a hand and said "Come with me. I do not want you thinking that this is just a plan to get you to join the Legion so I will prove it. We managed to capture the Stormcloak in question"

I followed him back into Castle Dour and into the dungeons. We stopped in front of a small cell with a man in blue and grey armor in it. He scowled at Tulius.

"What do you want, Imperial dog? Come to gloat?" he sneered. Tulius ignored the man.

"Leif, this is the man who set fire to your house and killed your family" he said, expressionless. The man laughed.

"Yes, it was me. Oh, don't look so angry, boy" he said, noticing I was beginning to get mad. "I didn't want to kill them but it's for a worthy cause! If killing a few people is what it takes to bring down the Empire, I'm willing to make that sacrifice and you should be too"

"Wait. You said "bring down the Empire"...does this mean that you killed my whole family...to further your own cause in this meaningless war?" I asked him. He laughed again.

"Yes. I did it because I was ordered to do so by the higher ups. Glory to Skyrim! Glory to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Do you now see how awful the Stormcloaks truly are? They murdered your whole family to achieve their selfish desires" said Tulius, seemingly disgusted by the soldier's statement. I stood in silence, staring at the ground. This man...this horrible man...had killed them because of an even worse man...Ulfric Stormcloak. I looked up.

"General. I still do not approve of the war, nor do I think I would be of much help. However, I see now what these monsters will do to gain power. If you will let me, I will join the Legion and fight for the Empire" I said, determined. I don't care what I had to do...as long as these Stormcloaks were stopped.

"I am glad to hear that. Now come with me. Normally, you'd have to go through a test to see whether or not you're Legion material but I think in this case I can make an exception" he said, going back up the stairs. I followed him, shooting a nasty look at the Stormcloak as I passed.

"Is it required I wear Imperial armor?" I asked. There was so much better armor that I could use and I hoped I wasn't restricted to that.

"Yes. You are part of the Imperial Legion and as such must wear the armor. Is that a problem?"

"No, sir. Just asking. However, I do not wish to use an Imperial sword. As I'm sure you know, I have an Ebony Sword that will likely work much better"

"I see. Fine, use your own sword. However, you need an Imperial Shield"

I shook my head. "No. I don't really need one" I said.

"Come now, boy. You need to have a shield" protested Tulius. "I cannot allow you into battle one"

"Sir, I really...As you wish" I sighed.

"Good. I think Bits and Pieces somehow managed to acquire a shield. Go check with them. When you're done, return here and wait for me with Legate Rikke in the war room if I am not back yet" he said. I left Castle Dour and went to Bits and Pieces.

"Welcome to Bits and Pieces, dear" said Sayma, the Redguard woman who runs the store. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, I need an Imperial Shield. Do you have one?" I asked. She disappeared into a back room for a moment then came back holding one.

"Yes, the only one. We got ahold of this recently in fact. Wait...you're the boy whose house burnt down, correct?" she said, setting the shield down. I nodded sadly. She smiled and pressed it into my hands.

"Here, take it. It's free. I suppose this is the least I can do after all you've dealt with today. May I ask why you want it?" she said, her eyes filled with kindness and concern.

"I plan to fight in the Imperial Army against those awful Stormcloaks. They were the ones who burnt my house down" I said. "Thank you for the shield. When the war is over, I will pay you back" I left the shop before she could say anything else. I didn't want to go back to Castle Dour but I had no choice. Ulfric dragged me into this war and I intended to drag him out of this life. I hated to kill...but I could easily make an exception.

I sat down in a chair in the war room beside the fierce looking woman he had seen arguing with Tulius. She did not look like someone to cross or disagree with. She ignored me and I did the same with her until the general returned, carrying a set of light Imperial Armor.

"Here. This should fit you, soldier. I see you got a shield. Good, I am sending you out with Legate Rikke here to your first assignment" he said, handing me the armor. I put it on and examined it. It fit perfectly, though I had hoped I wouldn't grow much until the war was over. The helmet was not exactly comfortable but it would not be smart to fight without one so I just had to deal with it. I strapped my sword to the side of the armor and held my shield in my left hand. "Go to Korvanjund, northeast of Whiterun, and retrieve the Jagged Crown. Return to me once you have it but be warned. Ulfric wants the Crown as well. He will most likely have sent troops there to take it from you. Outside the city you will see your transportation"

Legate Rikke led me out of the city to the gates. Normally, I would have tried to make conversation or something but I didn't really think talking to her would be a smart idea, even if she was on my side. I was probably overreacting but hey, she was a bit scary. Her face was always expressionless, but she seemed extremely tough and never said a word to me.

When we left the city, I saw that the transportation included several carriages. I longed to say "Seriously? A carriage?" but I held back my comment, my slight fear of Legate Rikke preventing me from saying anything. I climbed in back with some other recruits and the horses began to move. In the carriage with me was a middle aged Nord man, an Argonian female who looked to be in her twenties and a Breton boy about my age.

"Good, I'm not the only kid here. I was worried that I'd be surrounded by adults this whole time" said the Breton, holding out his hand as the carriage began moving. "I'm Darvak, by the way. Who are you?"

I shook his hand. "My name is Leif. I've never seen you in Solitude before. Where do you live?"

He laughed, jumping slightly as a carriage wheel hit a rock. "I just moved here, actually. My parents forced me to join the army because they didn't want me around. I was going to join anyway. What about you? Did your parents force you to join as well?"

I shifted my gaze away. "...my parents are dead. Didn't you see that fire earlier? That was my house...my parents...and...my brother...were all killed..." I mumbled, trying not to cry. Even the slightest thought of my parents being dead brought me to tears. I couldn't even bear to think of Kesh being dead. He was more than my brother. He was my best friend, someone I couldn't live without...

"I'm so sorry to hear that...I shouldn't have brought it up, that was stupid of me..." he said apologetically, sincerely meaning it. I smiled.

"No...it's fine, you didn't know...do you have any brothers or anything?" I questioned, trying to change the subject.

"No. I have two sisters. The only one who cares about me is the younger one. She's only six years old and is the most adorable thing ever. She told me to make sure I came home safely so we could play together again soon. What about your brother? I understand if you don't want to talk about it" he said.

After a moment, I sighed. "My brother was actually my adopted brother. He was a Khajiit who was the nicest person I've ever met. I loved him. He was like a real brother to me but so much more than that...he was my best friend in the world"

Darvak nodded and looked away, watching the many animals we passed. I did the same, trying to get my thoughts away from my past. True, I felt awful and wanted to cry but I knew that focusing on the past would only make things worse. Such things were not meant to be forgotten but to keep going with my life, I had to move on. If only it were that easy...


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Well, this took longer than expected...By the way, the violence gets fairly bad in this chapter but not too awful.

It took us a fortnight to finally get to Korvanjund, partly due to the fact that a group of Stormcloaks held us up twice. We killed them with ease (we meaning the older recruits. Legate Rikke said she didn't want me or Darvak to kill yet unless absolutely necessary) but it took half a day each time. During those two weeks, the Breton and I bonded very well. We shared many of the same likes and dislikes. We even shared the same tactics for using a sword. I was glad to have found a friend in this war. Otherwise, I'm not sure I would be able to cope with everything. Finally, we arrived at the Nordic crypt. Legate Rikke had told us about it yesterday, including what we would likely find inside. To my dismay, she mentioned Draugr. The things terrified me and even seeing a picture of one had given me nightmares for months when I was younger. Darvak wasn't too fond of them either so we promised to stay close to each other while inside.

Legate Rikke brought us down some stairs and gathered us at the entrance to the crypt, pulling out her sword. "Alright, soldiers. This crypt is likely infested with Draugr and Stormcloaks. Be on your guard at all times. Stay close to me and do not get lost. Move out" she ordered, leading us into the dark tomb.

The smell was almost non-existent, something I had not quite expected. I figured it would smell of rotting corpses but there was nothing. This did not really make me feel any better, since that meant that if there were corpses here, they were not rotting.

"This place is already creepy..." muttered Darvak to me. I nodded in agreement. Creepy was an understatement though. The walls were cracked in several places and the only sources of light were a few torches on the walls, bathing the area in an eerie light.

We stopped at the entrance to a large room with several fallen pillars, ducking behind one of them. Beyond these pillars was a large staircase that was so tall we could not see over it.

"There are Stormcloak soldiers over there. They have not noticed us yet. On my command, we attack. Are you ready, soldiers?" asked Legate Rikke. We nodded and, as silently as possible, unsheathed our swords.

"Alright, _charge_!" shouted Rikke and with a loud yell we jumped over or went around the fallen column, running towards the very confused Stormcloaks. Before they could even draw their swords, we had already killed them. Although we were told to avoid killing, we were never told anything about wounding. Darvak and I managed to stop the few Stormcloaks who had drawn their swords then left them for the others to kill. I felt awful about it and I wanted to throw up knowing I might as well have killed them. While the others were busy with their own soldiers, I was trying to take a particularly strong one. He wasn't good at attacking but he blocked everything I tried. I swung my sword at his head and he blocked it, but he positioned his sword wrong which caused him to drop it. I pointed my sword at his stomach, trying to ignore his face. It was as if he was pleading with me to spare him. In that instant, I thought of what I was truly doing; the man likely had a family...maybe even a child. I may not be killing him directly but it would be because of me that his family would be in grief. They would never see him again, despite his assurances that he would come back safely. A few tears came to my eyes.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered, stabbing him. My blade easily pierced his skin and his face filled with a mixture of shock, pain and grief. He fell to the ground, gasping from the pain, tears mixing with his blood and staining the floor a deep red. I wiped the blood from my sword using the body of a dead soldier and sheathed it.

"Good work! Let's keep going. Two of you stay here and guard the entrance. We wouldn't want any Stormcloak reinforcements taking us by surprise" said Rikke, sheathing her own sword and leading the rest of us down more stairs and out of the room. The only person who seemed troubled by what they had done was me. Even Darvak had little expression. I didn't understand how anyone could do this...to kill without feeling...to be honest, it's awful and only a monster could truly do that.

After one more flight of stairs, we came to a room with a broken bridge in front of us and a path on our right. We took it and were ambushed by Stormcloaks, who were waiting around the corner. We took only a minute to kill them all. I tried to hold back as much as I could, defending myself until someone else came and killed them for me. Once the soldiers were gone, we proceeded down yet another flight of stairs. A large pile of rubble, likely the remains of the bridge, stood in the middle of the room. We took the door on our right but Legate Rikke stopped up before we could go through it.

"Hold on. I'm willing to bet Stormcloaks are plotting to ambush us on the other side of this door. You, boy" she said, pointing at me, "Try to find another way into the room. We'll charge in to help you as soon as we hear fighting"

I nodded and began examining the room while Rikke discussed strategies with the others. Noticing no other entrances, I went back up the stairs and went straight. I didn't notice this path before but it seemed to lead into the room where Rikke thought soldiers were waiting for us. She was right; standing on a bridge high in the air, I could see several Stormcloaks waiting in the shadows. They were whispering to each other but I could hear them fairly well.

"Ok, they should be coming through any moment now...when they do, hold your ground. They're faithless Imperials and we have mighty Talos on our side. There is no way we can lose" one of them said. The others nodded and said something about "praise Talos" but I ignored that part. I may be a Nord, but Talos was never really a big part of my life. To be honest, I don't really believe in him the way Stormcloaks do. I believe in the possibility of the story and that he was an incredible warrior, yes but I don't really think he would become a god. Maybe it was because my parents weren't Nords. Anyway, I was about to go back to Legate Rikke and tell her about the alternate route I found when I saw what they were standing in; a shiny red liquid was beneath them. I never knew the name, but I knew what it did. The liquid was extremely flammable and even the smallest spark would cause it to flare up. I went back and took a torch from the wall, then stood over them. I took a deep breath, not at all liking what I was about to do.

"...I know I'll regret this...but...it has to be done..." I muttered to myself a quietly as possible. I knew I had to do it no matter how much it seemed wrong, so with shaking hands, I dropped the torch onto the liquid. I turned away as the men who hadn't burst into flame and died immediately screamed in agony. It was the most horrifying thing I've ever heard; the immense pain covering their entire bodies made their voices rise to high pitched screams. I closed my eyes, wishing for it to stop.

"...I cannot believe I just did that" I said, hot tears falling from my eyes. Why was I crying? They were my enemies...I should not feel bad about it...it had to be done, right? That was how war worked. I knew this but that didn't stop me from wishing I could take back the last few moments. If I had never dropped that torch, at least those men could have died honorably, not bursting into flame without any idea what's going on. But no...I just had to drop that stupid torch. I was amazed how a few seconds could change everything.

The noise stopped. The screams echoed for a moment then were followed by an eerie silence. I opened my eyes and went back to the others, trying to not think of what I had just done. Despite my shock, I could not help thinking that they were pretty stupid to have been standing on the liquid. I guarantee they knew what it did. Then again, if you were going to follow a man like Ulfric Stormcloak, I guess you wouldn't be very smart. I went back to the others, wiping away my tears.

"Oh, you're back. The others went in when they heard screaming and told me to keep watch for you. What happened?" asked Darvak, who was waiting by the foot of the stairs.

"Some Stormcloaks were standing in that flammable red liquid so I grabbed a torch and dropped it. They were burned to death within a minute" I said, trying to sound cool about it as though it didn't bother me. However, my bloodshot eyes obviously didn't fool him.

"...you were crying...weren't you? You felt bad..." he said softly. I looked away and nodded, sitting down on the bottom stairs and burying my face in my hands. Gods, was I weak. Why couldn't I take something simple like this? Why did I have to be so pathetic...?

He stepped forward and sat down beside me. With concern in his eyes, he hugged me tightly. Our armor made it slightly uncomfortable but that didn't matter.

"It'll be alright...this is war, remember? It's necessary to kill. We've all done it or will do it at some point. Why focus on it? Just keep going. Focusing on the past brings unrest in the present and mistakes in the future" he said gently. I nodded and smiled.

"Thanks. We should get going" I said, standing up and leaving to catch up with the others. We climbed yet another set of stairs (what is it with this place and stairs?) and turned right into a dark passage that led us to a small room. It was brightly lit by candles and several urns were placed around the room. A large structure stood in the left wall and covered about half the room. The others were waiting inside.

"It's about time. Good work, by the way. You managed to kill those rebels faster and easier than we could. That was some very good thinking" she said, looking at me. I nodded and thanked her, wishing that I never had to talk about what I had done again.

"...why is there a dead Stormcloak? Did one of you kill him?" I asked nobody in particular. The body was face up and had several marks on it, though I couldn't identify them.

"No. He was here when we arrived, as was that" said Legate Rikke, pointing to another body on the ground. It was a dull pink color but I wasn't sure what it was. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a Draugr. I drew back, somewhat frightened and disgusted at the same time. Oddly, it didn't smell bad which likely meant that it was alive until recently.

"We've faced worse than this. We're not leaving until we get what we came for" said Legate Rikke, determined. Darvak was also determined but the others, including me and the Argonian female, were less so. We left the room and went down more stairs in a dark passageway. It was creepy and gave me the impression that a Draugr would attack us at any second. I stayed as close to the group as possible, looking everywhere to make sure nothing would sneak up on us. Our footsteps echoed off the dark walls, adding to the creepy atmosphere.

"Ok, the Crown should be just beyond here" said Legate Rikke, stopping at a large iron door. She opened it and led the way. We went past another dead Draugr, me and the Argonian shuddering at the sight, and the body of a Stormcloak. Clearly they didn't have good luck with the things. Maybe we should just let the Draugr kill them for us.

We went up yet _another_ flight of stairs and followed the path to a right turn where, surprise, Stormcloaks ambushed us. Getting used to this, we quickly killed them (we meaning the others. I stayed behind and only involved myself when necessary) and proceeded. The passage led to a long hallway with engravings set onto the walls.

"This must be the Hall of Stories" said Legate Rikke, sheathing her sword. I followed her to the end of the hall while the others examined the walls. A large circular door stopped up from going any further. "See what you can do about that door, soldier. Let me know if you find anything"

I examined the door. Three circular plates were set into it on the three separate sections. In the middle was a picture of some kind of claw with a hole above each of the three fingers. After a few moments, I discovered the plates all moved to make way for other ones. I figured that the claw was the key to open it so that meant the plates had to be in the right order.

"Hmm...this is different. How to figure this out..." I mumbled to myself, deep in thought. There was no way I could know what the combination was. Of course, I could keep trying things until it worked but that would take too long. Taking a step back, I felt something beneath my foot. It was a black claw, seemingly made from Ebony. On the bottom of it were three circles with a fox (or something resembling it), a bird (again, or something that looks like it) and a dragon in the middle. I had a sudden idea and tried making the plates on the door match the claw. Then I put the claw in the three holes. Nothing happened. Maybe it was like an actual lock. I turned the claw and the panels spun back to their original places. Then, the door slid downwards and out of sight.

"Good work. Let's move" said Legate Rikke, rushing past me and up the stairs. I groaned to myself, sick of them, but I followed her without outwardly complaining. The others did the same. We soon came to another iron door which opened to reveal a large, slightly dark room. The opposite door was blocked by a gate.

"Ok, soldier. Do what you do best. Find a way to get that gate open" she said. I had already begun to search for a way. There was another entrance to our right so I went that way. Hey, you never know. Sometimes the answer is simple like that. It took me to the upper part of the room. The others were examining everything from the shelves to the urns but nobody found anything. Returning my attention to my job, I noticed an Orcish Dagger resting on a pedestal on top of a stone table. I wasn't sure why it was there but I knew it couldn't be for no reason. It was placed so that it was in the exact center of the pedestal and nobody would take that much care to put it like that if it meant nothing.

"...yeah. I'm willing to bet that's a trap" I said, going past it and using the bridges to get to the other side of the room. The only thing of importance was a chest but I didn't have time to open it. Looking around, I saw a lever on the wall above a burial urn. I pulled it, praying it wasn't a trap. Nothing happened other than Legate Rikke saying "Good work! Let's hurry!" so I assumed it opened the gate. However, as soon as I got to the bottom part of the room, several Draugr came out of the coffins on the walls. Most carried swords and the ones that didn't were carrying bows or axes. My fear paralyzed me. Everyone else was fighting a Draugr while I stood there in fright, unable to move. An arrow flying by my head made me come to my senses. I turned around and collided with someone. A Draugr stood in front of me, its eyes glowing white and its flesh rotting. It said something in what I assumed was Ancient Nordic, making me cringe.

"Oh my Gods..." I said quietly. Its breath was putrid and every time it moved, it made a sound that resembled the rustling of bones. The flesh was falling off the body and the armor it wore was in pieces. I backed up and tripped over something, landing on my back. It said something else and swung its sword at me. I rolled to dodge the sword and just barely avoided it. The sword struck right where my head had been a second earlier. I got up as quickly as I could and spun around to give my strike more momentum. My blade cut across the creature's neck while it tried to pry its sword from the crevice in the rock it had struck, nearly severing the head (hey, it wasn't _technically_ alive, right?). It fell to the ground just as another one came up to me, this one with a shield.

"You've got to be kidding" I growled, attempting to stab it. It dodged with surprising agility for a corpse. I blocked an attack with my shield, ignoring the pain in my left arm. To my surprise, the thing was stronger than any normal human. I always figured they could kill easily but weren't very strong since their muscles would have decayed. A quick stab to the heart killed the zombie, hopefully for good this time. As soon as I withdrew my sword, the glow of the eyes faded away and the Draugr fell to the ground.

"Nice work, soldiers! Let's move!" commanded Legate Rikke after the remaining Draugr were dead. We followed her through the now open gate and through another iron door.

"Hey, you alright?" asked Darvak, concerned. We were told to take a short rest just after the door. It was good that she ordered this because all of us were exhausted. He sheathed his sword and placed a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged, honestly not sure. Physically, I was fine. A little tired...but fine otherwise. Nevertheless, I was beginning to think that I wasn't cut out for war. I couldn't kill anything living without serious regret and the Draugr had nearly killed me. That's not even mentioning the fact that I was scared out of my mind during the fight with them. I explained this to him and he went silent for a few moments.

"I understand, Leif. I really do. I can't kill any easier than you can. Those Draugr creep me out too. However, if there's one thing I've learned from the mistakes of those older than me, it's that you you have to distance your mind from fear and regret during war. If you don't, your moves will become slow and you'll die. When you fight, you have to really think: what is more important? Is it more important that the other person lives and possibly goes home to a happy family or is it more important that you survive to meet your goal? If you choose the other person, why are they more important than you? Why is one person better than another? In reality, we're all of equal value and killing someone won't make the world stop. Focusing your attention on it is like paying attention to a leaf blowing in the wind; it's there one moment but soon, it'll be swept away and you likely won't ever see it again. Does that mean you should cry and be sad that the leaf is gone from your life? No. You have to keep going and search for more important things to focus on. I can't tell you what you _should_ think. However, I suggest you take what I said into consideration" he explained. I nodded, not sure what to say to that. Darvak was certainly wise beyond his years. He smiled and unsheathed his sword, Legate Rikke having just announced that the break was over. I unsheathed mine as well and advanced into the next room. It was different than the others in that a single throne stood in the center and in it was a Draugr, seemingly asleep. I hoped that it was dead but my luck hasn't really been that good lately so I wasn't counting on it.

"Alright, spread out! The Crown must be around here somewhere!" shouted Legate Rikke. We began to look around but had no idea what the Crown might look like. Obviously, we had some ideas but that was it.

"Hey, there's some sort of crown on this dead Draugr!" called the Argonian female, pointing to the body slumped over on the throne. It was indeed wearing a crown but it was unlike anything I had ever seen; it looked to be made of bones.

"Good wo-hold on..._get away from it! It's not dead!_" exclaimed Legate Rikke. Before the Argonian could even process what she heard, the Drauger had stood up and driven its sword through her skull. She died instantly, blood painting the floor a dark red. It wiped its blade on her armor and attacked Darvak. He blocked every swing but was quickly overpowered. His sword was knocked out of his hand and was about to be stabbed when the Nord man who had traveled in the carriage with us severed its head. The Nord picked up the head and removed the Crown, giving it to Legate Rikke. She put it in a pouch on her side and, for the first time, smiled.

"Good work, men. You've all done a great job. I wish that the Argonian did not have to die, but at least it was not in vain. We have the Crown and are one step closer to defeating the rebels! Let's get out of this dreary crypt and go back to Solitude"


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Kinda short chapter, sorry. And please review, the more people who do that than the better my stories will get.

**Normal POV**

"Good work, all of you" said Tulius, pacing around the room. The Jagged Crown was resting on a table in the main hall while Leif and the other soldiers stood in the war room with the General. Legate Rikke had just finished telling him about what we went through at the crypt. He seemed pleased but he still had little emotion. "Ulfric will certainly not be happy about this which is exactly what we want. Maybe he'll slip up. Maybe he won't. Regardless, he does not have the Crown and that in itself is a victory for the Imperials"

He turned to Leif with a small smile. "I have heard good things about you, boy. You seem to be very clever and good in a battle. Therefore, I'm giving you a task. Go to Whiterun and give the Jarl this message: "The war is escalating and your city is still undecided. I apologize that I must pressure you but a decision must be made. Will you side with the Imperials or the Stormcloaks? I leave the choice up to you, but I urge you to make the correct one and as quick as possible". If he still is undecided or wants to join the Stormcloaks, try to convince him to join us or at the very least remain undecided. Having a possible ally be neutral is better than having it as an enemy. If you wish, you make take one person with you or you can go alone. Either way, get that message to the Jarl and return here once you do. I'm promoting you to Quaestor for this task. I doubt Balgruuf would listen to an Auxiliary. There is a carriage for you outside the gates. Now if you are ready, get going" he ordered.

"Yes sir. Darvak, you're coming to Whiterun with me. Let's go" said Leif, motioning for the Breton to follow him. They left Castle Dour and headed for the city gates.

"Why'd you pick me to go with you?" he asked when they had passed Bits and Pieces.

"Because I didn't want to take a Nord and have to listen to them talking about Talos. Technically, you're not a Nord so I figured I wouldn't hear that from you" he said, quickening his pace slightly. Darvak sped up and seemed confused.

"But aren't you a Nord? Even if they're fighting for the Empire, most Nords worship Talos. Why don't you?" he asked.

"Maybe it's because I never lived with anyone like me. My brother was Khajiit, my father was an Argonian and my mother was a Dark Elf. I don't believe Talos is a god. Is he a great warrior? Of course. But is he a god? No"

He looked up at the sky but didn't say anything. They both remained silent until they had gotten in the carriage and had set off to Whiterun. The driver said that it would take weeks to get there which inwardly made them groan. Leif was fairly impatient but as he had no choice, he said nothing.

"Well...since we're going to be here for a while...tell me about your family. You never really told me much. I'd understand if you don't want to say anything though" said Darvak. Leif averted his eyes. He didn't want to talk about it but he figured it may help him feel better.

"...my father was an Argonian who spent ten years in the military in Black Marsh. He was usually nice and hardly ever yelled but when he did...it wasn't fun. He came to Skyrim after he left the army and that's where he met mother. She was a Dark Elf who was skilled in magic. She was a bit more...high strung...than father but she still was the nicest woman I've met. She taught Alteration at the College of Winterhold for three years then left and met father when she moved to Solitude. They found Kesh, my brother, and me a few years later, abandoned at the gates of the city. He taught us to use a sword. My mother taught us magic. Kesh was always better than me when it came to the Arcane, though. I made up for that by being better than him at sword fighting" he explained sadly.

"I see...what about Kesh?"

Here, Leif remained silent. Talking about Kesh hurt more than talking about his parents. He loved them both but the Khajiit was more than just his brother and maybe even more than just his friend. Finally, he spoke.

"...Kesh...was so much more than my brother. We basically were two parts to the same person...where he was weak, I was strong and vice versa. We did everything together and you never saw one of us without the other. We trained every day but were never able to best each other. We hardly ever got in real fights..."

Darvak smiled slightly. "Ah...you loved him, didn't you?"

Leif seemed slightly confused. He titled his head to the side. "Of course I did. He was my brother"

"No, that's not what I meant" he said, shaking his head. "I meant you loved him as more than a friend and a brother. You literally loved him...didn't you?"

Leif blushed bright red. "W-what? No! I...I mean...how could I love him? He's my brother!" he said. Darvak smiled and leaned back.

"Uh-huh. My question is answered" he said, grinning.

"...so what about your family?" asked Leif, still red. Darvak stopped grinning and sighed.

"Everyone in my family is a Nord. I was adopted too, you see. They all hate me except for my little sister because...well, I'm not really sure. It could be because I'm not as into Nord tradition as they are, it could be because I hate war and fighting, heck it could even be because I've never dated a girl before" he muttered, looking away.

"Wait, back up. So you've date-" Leif began but the driver cut him off. They were in the middle of a large field. In the distance, they could see Solitude but that was the only town in sight. A single cave stood about two hundred yards away. A few animals ran around near the carriage while a gentle breeze swept across the plains. The grass rustled softly. The sound was peaceful and would likely be able to calm even a dragon.

"Sorry to interrupt but the area around here is known for bandit attacks. I'm sure we'll be fine but I just thought you should know. Oh, and tell me when you would like to stop for the night, ok?" he said. They both thanked him and he went back to driving. Every so often he would look around, likely to see if bandits were near.

"So why did you willingly join the army if you hate war and fighting?" Leif asked, returning his attention to Darvak.

"Because I wanted to get away from my family. Also, I hate what the Stormcloaks are doing so I figured that if I'm going to leave, I might as well make myself useful. My parents told me to join to Stormcloaks, you know. Personally, I find the idea appalling so I join the Imperials instead. I doubt they know. What about you? Why did you join?"

"The Stormcloaks were the ones who burned down my house"

Darvak looked away, obviously feeling slightly uncomfortable about bringing up the subject and both became silent.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I'm sorry about the long wait. Oh, and I changed the story a little. Leif now wears Imperial Armor and has an Imperial Shield. Sorry but I realized having him use other armor just didn't make sense. I usually don't do things like this, though, so don't worry about it happening again. As usual, please review.

Chapter 6

For the rest of the journey, they hardly ever spoke a word to each other after that day unless it was necessary. Leif occasionally teased Darvak by pretending to order him to do things as he was now higher in rank than the Breton but besides that, they hardly communicated beyond a few words here and there. To their relief, there were no bandit attacks save for a lone Nord woman who thought she could take two children and a carriage driver. She was quickly taken care of and they immediately resumed going to Whiterun.

"This city is bigger than I thought" said Darvak once they had arrived. Leif silently agreed. The town was fairly peaceful compared to Solitude; a few Nords walked around, talking to each other. Two small children were playing tag happily. They ran past the boys without looking at them. Leif motioned for Darvak to follow him and went up to a man who was standing outside the nearest shop. He glared at them as they approached.

"Imperials, eh?" he growled, noticing their armor. "What are you dogs doing in our city?"

"Where is the Jarl?" asked Leif, ignoring the man's comment.

"Like I would tell you" he said, his arms crossed.

"Fine. I will just tell General Tulius that this town belongs to the Stormcloaks and he will let them take over" he said casually. The man scowled at him even more.

"He's in the palace over there. I hope he kills you, faithless dogs" he said bitterly, pointing to a large structure in the distance. Leif thanked him and walked off, Drenek following closely behind him. They walked through the city without any trouble. Some people glowered at them as they passed, especially around the shops and the inn. A few questioned as to why there were Imperials in the city. One person, a young Breton woman, actually waved and looked happy to see them. They reached the palace within minutes.

The structure was enormous, taking up what looked to be the space of Castle Dour at the very least. It loomed over them but somehow looked inviting and intimidating at the same time. They walked inside, both feeling slightly apprehensive but determined. The Jarl was currently having a heated discussion with a person wearing grey armor at the opposite end of a large room.

"...and it is not possible! Besides, the price would be too high even if it was" the Jarl was saying. The man in the armor sighed.

"I understand this but it is possible and very necessary. Of course, the choice is yours" he said, leaving the room. Balgruuf looked faintly annoyed as he turned his attention to the two boys.

"Yes, yes, what is it? No doubt Tulius is making another offer. I said no and that's my final answer" he said shortly.

"He asked me to tell you that your city is undecided and he wants you to make a choice. Also, he is sorry for pressuring you but it has to be done. The choice is yours but he urges you to make the right one and quickly" recites Leif.

"What did I just say? I am not becoming an ally to either side. What will it take to get that through his skull?" he asked irritably.

Leif smiled. "I doubt he will listen, sir. He is very persistent. Why won't you join the Empire, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I...I don't know. One could say I owe a favor to Tulius. This is true. At the same time, you could also say that Ulfric has the right idea in my opinion and as a Nord I find it hard to give up my way of life. On the other hand, the Empire is not as bad as everyone believes it to be. In other words, I'm not sure what to think" he said slowly.

"I understand sir but I urge you to reconsider and join the Empire. You know it is for the best. Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made in order to make progress" said Leif. The Jarl said nothing but looked rather uncomfortable at this. He nervously tugged at his beard and looked at the ceiling. After a few moments of silence, the doors to the palace open and a courier ran in, stopping before the Jarl.

"What is it?" asked Balgruuf, though not unkindly. The courier pulled out a letter and handed it to him, saying it was from the Stormcloaks and they only said he should read it immediately. The courier left and the Jarl opened the letter with a look of apprehension on his face. His eyes narrowed as he read the letter until he finally crumpled the paper in his hand.

"Something wrong, Jarl Balgruuf?" asked the man in the armor, who had just come back. The old man threw the paper away and looked up at the ceiling.

"It's the Stormcloaks. They said that since we are undecided, we must be taken. Either we are an ally or an enemy. They will be attacking today" he said calmly but everyone could sense his annoyance. There were no further sounds except for the crackle of the fire and the occasional shifts of someone out of nervousness.

"I knew I couldn't avoid choosing for too long" he sighed moments later. "It was only a matter of time. Well, I now see what kind of people the Stormcloaks really are. Tell Tulius that Whiterun is on the side of the Imperials. However...I must ask you two a favor first"

"Of course, Jarl. What is it?" said Leif.

"I would like you to stay and help us against the Stormcloaks. Normally, I wouldn't ask two children but I assume that Tulius wouldn't have sent you if you were not capable of fighting well. So will you help?"

Leif turned to Darvak. "I'll help but you don't have to" he said. The Breton shook his head.

"I'll help too. The Stormcloaks have done too much. If they take Whiterun, then things will get pretty screwed up" he said. Leif nodded and turned his attention back to the Jarl.

"We'll both help in any way we can" he said. The Jarl smiled.

"Thank you. Stay at the inn until I get word of their arrival. When I do, I will send for you. Come back here and we will discuss what needs to be done. Am I understood?" he asked. The two boys nodded and left the palace. They didn't say much to each other on the way to the inn and only spoke when they had sat down in front of the fire. The only other person near them was a Khajiit boy a year older than Leif at the most with a gold earring and hide armor. He was staring into the fire and occasionally took a sip of his drink without averting his eyes.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting day" muttered Leif, gazing into the dancing flames himself and ignoring the occasional mutters of "Imperial dogs..." and the stares. Darvak nodded, looking at the fire as well.

"Yes...I suspect it will be. Though I could do without the insults" he grumbled. "Don't these people realize that the Empire is only trying to help? I don't get it..."

"People, especially Nords, have a tendency to want what is worst for them. They're also stubborn. If you put them in a desert for three years then offer them food to survive, their pride will kick in and they'll reject it. Part of the reason for that besides pride is that they think anyone who is different from them is bad. Unfortunately, they're right to a degree because this world is horrible anyway. Sometimes I think it would be best if we just started over without the Empire, without Ulfric, without anything" he explained. The nearby Khajiit suddenly laughed to himself then quickly stopped.

"What?" asked Leif, turning to him. The Khajiit merely stood up and walked to a nearby table.

"...that was...odd" noted Darvak. Leif turned back to the fire and nodded.

"As I was saying," he continued, "I think it would be best to start over. However, having no Ulfric will have to do"

"I agree. I...can't say I want him dead. But I do want him out of power and treated like the vermin he is" said the Breton. At these words, a Nord man walked up to them, scowling and looking as though he wished to destroy both of them. He seemed to be around thirty at the very least. He wore iron armor and a steel greatsword was on his back.

"You had better shut up about Jarl Ulfric, faithless Imperials. When he becomes the High King, that kind of disrespect won't be tolerated" he growled.

"Even if he would become High King, which he won't, but even if he did he is not now. Besides, he was responsible for the deaths of my friend's parents and brother. I think I have a right to talk about the man as I wish, especially as he is vermin like I said" replied Darvak. His voice was polite but there was an obvious hint of annoyance. The Nord reached for his sword but didn't pull it from his back. However, his eyes were flaring with anger.

"Say that again, you milk-drinker! Ulfric would never do something like that!" he snapped. Darvak stood up and sighed.

"Let me get this straight: I'm a "milk-drinker" because I think instead of blindly swinging my weapon at something? That is the problem with you Nords, you know. You never think. All you know how to do is swing and find your target. But what if your target moves? What if it hides where you can't see it? You'll die, that's what. All it takes is a little thinking and you're taken down as easily as a baby wolf that has lost its mother" he said, his voice rising slightly. The Nord turned to Leif.

"Can you believe this milk-drinker? Surely a Nord such as yourself has sense in you. Tell your friend to back off and make sure he gets a beating later" he growled. Leif stood as well.

"If anyone needs a beating, it is Ulfric. That man killed my family. One of his soldiers told me so himself. He's right, Nords don't think and that's why they're idiots" he growled.

"Yeah, like I'm supposed to believe that! Besides, thinking is for the elves! How could a Nord like you say things like that?" he snapped. Leif smiled bitterly.

"Yes and look how that went: the elves would have destroyed the Nords had the White-Gold Concordat not been signed" he said, crossing his arms. "As for how I can say that: unlike you, _I think_"

"You filthy little-" began the Nord, unsheathing his greatsword. Faster than Leif could blink, the Khajiit from before was between them.

"This is not a good place to start a fight and if you must swing your weapon, do it to someone who is not a youngling such as this one" he said, pointing to Leif. The Nord boy said nothing but couldn't help thinking with some annoyance "_youngling?_"

"Shut up or I'll make a rug out of you, cat" the man snarled. By this time, the entire inn was watching but nobody did anything. Even the innkeeper stood by and watched. The Khajiit laughed.

"Oh, really? I would like to see you try" he said. Losing his temper, the Nord swung the giant sword with a furious yell. Within the span of a second, the Khajiit had drawn his own sword, disarmed him, and knocked him to the ground. He pointed the blade at the Nord's neck. "You Nords think you are such great warriors but you are not. You are only simple-minded creatures"

The Nord said something under his breath but made no move to get up again. The Khajiit smiled and sheathed his sword, turning to Leif. "You are not simple-minded though. You seem to be blessed with intelligence" he said with a small smile.

"Thank you, I suppose. How did you move so fast?" asked Leif.

"That is something that you would not believe if I told you. In any case, I must be going. Goodbye, youngling. I have a feeling we will meet again at some point" he said, leaving the inn. After a moment of shocked silence, the inn gradually got louder with the sounds of music and talking.

"What was with him?" said Leif, staring at the door. Darvak shrugged.

"No idea. He's a Khajiit so I'm assuming he knows something about using a sword we don't, which would explain why he didn't say anything. Not sure why he would help you though..." he said. The two sat down again and began discussing tactics for the upcoming battle in hushed voices. They knew that nothing they thought of would work but it kept them occupied and for all they knew, one of them could have a good idea.

"It all depends on how many archers this town has" whispered Leif. "If there are enough that could work but otherwise we'd need a dozen swordsman at least and all with a death wish"

"True. What if we had them use axes?" suggested Darvak. "Technically, the right kind of axe can be thrown easier than a sword"

"That would never work. Throwing your weapon away in battle would be stupid. Maybe-"

The door to the inn opened. The man in the armor who was talking to the Jarl when they first arrived at the palace walked in, looking grim.

"Battle is about to start. We'll warn the town. Get back to the palace" he said shortly. The two nodded and stood up. They followed the man out of the inn, hoping this would not end badly for Whiterun or the Empire.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Sorry about the wait again. School was...well, it was getting difficult, to put it one way. Now that I'm on Christmas Vacation, I'll probably be able to write a lot more. Not sure at this point.

"Alright, men" said the Jarl once the two boys had returned to the palace. They stood with the town guard in the main hall, waiting for their orders. Being one of the few Imperial soldiers in a room with about sixty guards dressed in the same outfit was a bit strange but they said nothing of it. "The Stormcloaks will be attacking the city any minute. Barricades have been placed. I need some of you to guard each of these areas. One is at the main gate and one is before the bridge. Several have been placed inside the city as well. I will leave Commander Arnmeir in charge of who is stationed at what area. There are about a hundred troops at the most so this should not be too hard. Ulfric clearly thinks he is more powerful than he is and is far too confident. Are there any questions?"

The soldiers remained silent. The only sound was that of the fire crackling or the sound of armor shifting. The Jarl nodded. "Good. Now get to your positions and good luck. May the Eight Divines protect all of you" he said. The soldiers immediately left the city while Commander Arnmeir gave orders.

"...stay at the start of the bridge, and the other half at the end. The rest of you, stay with me on the front lines. Archers, stand at the overlook unless I tell you otherwise" he commanded. "Oh, and Imperials? Stay at the far end of the bridge. I do not doubt your capabilities but I would rather you stay where it is safer"

The rest of the soldiers left Leif, Darvak and ten other guards at the final barricade. Three of the guards pulled out their bows and stood overlooking the field while the others drew their swords or axes.

They waited in silence. They could not hear any sounds other than the fire from the torches and the nervous rustling of the other soldiers. Occasionally, Leif opened his mouth to ask if anyone else had heard anything but each time, he decided against it. He figured that if the archers had heard or noticed anything, they would have started to fire arrows by now.

"...do you think the Stormcloaks are really going to attack?" asked one of the guards after an hour of complete silence and no word from the others.

"I don't know. I wouldn't put it past them to use this as a diversion so they could attack some other city" replied Darvak, who was leaning against the stone walls. "Then again, I'm not sure that would work. I suppose we just have to be patient"

The guard nodded and went silent again. Another half hour passed before anything else was heard.

Leif was pacing back and forth, wondering if the guard had a point. Maybe this was a diversion. True, it wouldn't do much, but since when was Ulfric known for being smart?

_ He probably knows just enough about war and strategy to make it look like he knows what he's doing and nothing more_ he thought. He had just considered asking the archers if they saw anything when a shout of "Stormcloaks!" rang across the area. Darvak jumped away from the wall and readied his sword. Leif and the guards tensed up. Despite being the farthest away from the battle, they couldn't help being anxious.

"Brace yourselves. They could charge up here at any moment" said a guard.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen. If it does, they are strong enough to beat the others. In that case, I doubt we stand a chance" said another.

The previous guard turned to him sharply. "Look, we're all worried but you can't be negative so shut up and focus!" he snapped. Leif sighed and stood between them. Despite that they were both wearing helmets it was obvious they were glaring angrily ay each other.

"Both of you, stop. I understand you are scared but you do not need to yell at him. He has a point. It would not be good if they made it here" he said, looking at the first guard. He then turned his attention to the other one. "And _you_ need to be more positive. I hope they don't get this far either but if they do, it's up to us to defend the city and we can't do that if we don't keep a good attitude. Besides, they're Stormcloaks. They're idiots and idiots don't make good warriors. They have to figure out a way to lower the bridge first anyway. So get back to your positions and sop arguing"

"And who are you to tell us what to do, kid? I agree with you, but it is not your place to order us around" growled the first guard.

"I happen to be a Quaestor in the Imperial Army. Not a high position but probably higher than you, correct?" he said politely. The guard stared at him for a few moments before grumbling something under his breath and returning his attention to the bridge. Leif back to Darvak and whispered "either that guard is stupid or I really do have a higher position than he does. Either way, glad that worked." The Breton smiled but didn't respond, staring at the bridge as well.

Another hour passed but all they could do was listen to the fighting. Every so often they'd hear a terrible scream of pain or a battle cry but obviously, it was impossible to tell what side they were from. Much to their horror, they even heard "fall back! They've broken the first barrier!"

"Oh gods...that isn't good" mumbled Darvak.

"We still have another barricade before us and the bridge. We'll be fine" said Leif soothingly. Darvak nodded but still looked worried. Soon after, they heard a shout that said the second barricade was broken. They braced themselves immediately, waiting for the Stormcloaks to lower the bridge and charge at them.

Minutes passed but no soldiers appeared. They could still hear fighting so they assumed that the others were doing everything they could to hold the rebels back. The sounds of steel on steel and the cries of pain were getting louder though and all too soon...

"There!" said a guard, pointing to the walkway to the left of the bridge. A single Imperial soldier with a steel battle axe was running towards them frantically as though something was chasing him. Suddenly, he froze in mid-step, his eyes wide. He fell face first down the ramp, an arrow lodged in the back of his head. Behind him was a tall Nord holding a bow who was grinning widely.

"Let's go! For Ulfric! For Skyrim! For Talos!" shouted the man He moved the lever and the bridge lowered itself to reveal a dozen more Stormcloaks. They immediately rushed at us with a loud battle cry.

Everyone fought their own Stormcloak. Some had more success than others and were able to quickly subdue their opponents while others took a sword through the skull rather early. Every time a Stormcloak fell, a Whiterun guard fell soon after. Leif tried to defend himself against the two warriors who had just finished killing another guard but was just barely able to keep his sword in his hand, let alone defeat the two swordsmen.

"Leif! Hold on, I'll-" began Darvak, having just killed his opponent with a stab to his stomach. He was about to run over and help when an arrow seemingly from the shadows struck him in the shoulder, causing him to scream in pain and fall to the ground.

"_Darvak!_" shouted the Nord. Another attack from the warriors brought him back to the fight. Anger coursed through him as he blocked the attack and viciously tried to kill the Stormcloaks. Soon, they were the ones having to defend themselves.

"This is why I hate you Stormcloaks..." he growled, driving his sword into the skull of one of them. He pulled it out and the soldier crumpled to the ground. "You resort to using low tricks to get your way. I thought you would have enough of your so called "honor" to fight a man in person but you instead choose to stick to the shadows...you cowards"

"Sometimes it is necessary. I would not expect a child like you to know this" he said, smiling and blocking each attack with apparent ease. Behind them, the Whiterun guard was trying to protect Darvak and was also taking on two soldiers though he was having less luck. Besides him, Leif was the only one fighting at this point.

"Oh, no. I agree" said Leif, his voice still filled with anger as he continued his attacks. "Sometimes it is. But if you cannot defeat two children and a Whiterun guard, it is rather sad that you have to resort to such tactics to win. Ulfric must be more of a coward than I thought"

The warrior's eyes widened in anger which was exactly what Leif wanted. "Do not talk about the true High King like that, you filthy milk-drinker!" he shouted. He increased the speed of his own attacks but they were not aimed well. His rage, unlike Leif's, was not caused by the desire to protect another, rather by blind hatred. It allowed the younger Nord to easily block or dodge everything.

"This has gone on long enough" he growled after a few minutes. He avoided yet another blind swing to his head and stabbed the man through his neck, killing him instantly. He pulled his blade out and watched as the man fell to the ground, motionless. Just as he did so, the guard killed off his last opponent as well by beheading her. He was not as lucky as Leif, however. The younger Nord had gotten away with quite a few bruises and a mild cut, but nothing more. The guard had a much larger gash across his face and his armor was in bad shape. On his left side was a large stab wound and an arrow was stuck in his right arm. His light brown hair was streaked with crimson blood and the helmet was with his shield ten feet away, both in several pieces.

"Are you alright?" asked Leif, sheathing his sword. The man nodded.

"This is nothing. I am more concerned for him. That arrow was poisoned. Not with a particularly a deadly one, but it will kill him if we do not get him healed soon. I have seen this kind of poison before, you see" he said, picking up Darvak, who seemed to be knocked out. The guard didn't make a sound but his eyes showed that he was screaming in pain on the inside. "It knocks you out and if you aren't healed...you never wake up. Luckily, a simple cure-poison potion is all it takes. We need to get him back into the city"

Leif nodded and looked at his unconscious friend. He had a few cuts on his face and his armor was in fairly bad shape as well but aside from the arrow still in his left shoulder, he seemed to be alright. He followed the man back into the city, exhausted and worried for his friend but also happy in knowing that the Stormcloaks had lost and he was one step closer to beating the man who had killed his family.


End file.
